DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS FROZEN | London, The O2

First things first: Let It Go is spectacular on ice. The number starts out small and dark, finishing up with pyrotechnics and of course some virtuosic skating. The increasing speed and freedom of the choreography tells the story of the lyrics brilliantly, and being on ice couldn’t be more perfect.

Where this show really excels beyond other Feld Entertainment spectacles (including Disney On Ice and Marvel Live!) is that it respects the children in the audience enough to have moments of quiet, not just an all-out sugary disco blast. Boys and girls after the show weren’t shouty and hyped, but gracefully twirling. Like the animated feature film, the show contains plenty of light and shade, which brings the story to life and makes for a really enjoyable ride. The moral of the tale, that love between two sisters can be more powerful than anything, is briefly introduced and recapitulated by Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

That said, the choreography plays really big, and it’s not unusual for a character to have done an entire circuit of the arena during a quick conversation. The dance at Elsa’s coronation and Kristoff’s whimsical strumming on the theme of “Reindeers are better than people”, which are both brief and underplayed in the film, are here turned into larger-than-life production numbers.

The whole show plays bigger and better than the new hour-long Frozen stage production at Disneyland California, and it’s going to be difficult for the upcoming Broadway musical to compete with the magic of a giant floor made of ice. Of course, it’s a shame that the whole soundtrack and dialogue is pre-recorded, but you can’t spot the lip-syncing from 95% of the seats in the O2 arena. Presenting Disney’s Frozen on ice isn’t just a great idea, it’s seen through to its absolute best with showstopping choreography, direction and design. For all fans – the young and the young at heart – it’s the best live Frozen experience out there.